Leadership in a Time of Change
Leadership in Changing Times
by Troy Medley, CEO
Recently, I was asked, why do I believe in Lambda Chi Alpha enough to make it my career. I thought about it for an awfully long time. I didn’t know if the answer ping-ponging around my head was the right one because it seemed too simple. I finally answered that Lambda Chi Alpha exists to help young men become good men, and I can think of no better vehicle for this transformation to take place. In a world seemingly gone mad, we have a platform that can tangibly make a difference, and who wouldn’t want to give their life to that? At Lambda Chi Alpha, this is our “why.” Everything we do must be singularly dedicated to helping more men succeed or we have missed the point. It is with this end in mind that I provide you with a progress report for the 2021/2022 academic year.
August was nerve-racking. We entered the Fall semester with a mix of hope and trepidation. We were cautiously optimistic that members
would return to campus, that the impact of COVID would finally begin to wane, and that we could once again focus on serving our members. I am happy to report that results are better than we could have hoped for, and Lambda Chi Alpha grew for the third consecutive year. We initiated 3,240 new Brothers during the year, a 20% yearover-year improvement. The values and ideals of Lambda Chi Alpha are more relevant now than ever. We seek to differentiate from purely social fraternities by leading with these values, and membership is increasing as a result.
We also know that if we are to serve more men, we must be on more campuses and develop new ways to reach non-traditional students. This past year, we earned the opportunity to expand to six new universities and launched two regional Associate Chapters in San Diego and Kansas City. The regional Associate Chapters are designed to
increase the number of pathways to membership, whether they be through a traditional college or university, community college, trade school, or other entity that serves college-aged men. Membership in the regional Associate Chapters is three times higher than hoped for when we entered the year, which demonstrates men desperately seek the values-based experience Lambda Chi Alpha provides, regardless of location. We are eager to expand this model in the coming year.
Due to COVID, we were forced to rethink how we serve existing chapters, as two full classes of members spent much of the preceding two years at home. As a result, chapter know-how entering the Fall was at an all-time low. In practice, this meant we had 175 start-ups to lead. To provide better tools for new officers, we revamped our Chapter Support and Learning Outcomes teams, added new roles dedicated to assisting successful chapter operations, and rebuilt our curriculum.
The primary tool used to teach new officers how to succeed in their jobs is the Leadership Skills Certification Academy. This program provides High Alphas, Thetas, Deltas, and Taus with advanced leadership, management, and technical training. The Leadership Skills Certification Academy has two principal goals: to prepare officers to be successful in their incredibly demanding roles and to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to acquire a great job. The program rollout is ahead of schedule. We have over 400 Brothers actively working through their respective modules and have awarded over 87 certified badges since the program launched at the High Alpha Summit in January.
In so many areas, our Collegiate Brothers stepped up this year and reestablished relevance in their local communities. Lambda Chi Alpha raised more donations for men’s health initiatives through our partner Movember than any other campus organization, and our average GPA of 3.15 surpassed the all-male GPA average of 3.06 at our host institutions. New partnerships with DeMolay and the American Red Cross are a smashing success due to the effort, ingenuity, and genuineness of heart displayed by our members.
As a body, we are serving the community, thriving academically, and leading by example.
I want to thank Brothers everywhere for providing the support needed to carry the organization through the pandemic. Because of your selfless donations of time, talent, and treasure, we were able to significantly improve the membership experience. We emerge from COVID a stronger fraternity better able to meet the needs of the men we serve. Because of you, more young men now have the chance to grow into good men, an incredible feat I hope we continue to grow upon.
in ZAX
Jack Branch on Leadership
WHAT MAKES A LEADER?
by Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
Throughout history, countless individuals have tried to find the answer and put their own spin on what that looks like. But in the end, the answer can be found through this simple question: is there a following behind you that has earned your trust or are you simply telling a group of people what to do?
No stranger to the complexities of leadership and still trying to master that all-important question is Jack Branch (University of Montevallo, ’22). Branch has served in all forms of officer positions during his undergraduate career and most recently has been appointed to his university’s Interfraternity Council Board, as well as serving on Lambda Chi Alpha’s Grand High Zeta.
For Branch, the thrill has come from widening his view from a general member to experiencing how Lambda Chi Alpha as an organization operates and what goes into the decisions that are made.
In addition to the 30,000-foot view that Branch has been fortunate enough to receive from his experiences, he has also learned how the business of leadership is very much formed in the relationships surrounding ideas and initiatives.
“I loved the interconnectivity between chapters, like when we go to High Alpha Summit, the group was hanging out with [Student Advisory Committee] was super, super diverse and people I would have never met,” said Branch.
Because of the unique opportunities Branch has encountered, he has been an instrumental part of the testing and feedback process for the new Leadership Skills Certification Academy.
As a tester, Branch has secured badge credentials for the entire Leading Teams journey and is working through the three other journeys (Essentials in Finance, Recruiting and Sales and Social Responsibility). Through these journeys, Branch is not only receiving crucial insight on how the offices of Lambda Chi operate but also how to become a leader in the professional space.
“This is not teaching you materials of your job, it is teaching you the thought processes on how to better utilize your office and then use that to transfer into the workplace,” said Branch.
By learning how to see challenges through multiple lenses and become adaptable, Branch and other members navigating through the
“This is not teaching you materials of your job, it is teaching you the thought process on how to better utilize your office, and then use that to transfer into the workplace.”
journeys of the Leadership Skills Certification Academy are differentiating themselves.
Branch has learned many valuable lessons throughout his undergraduate career through the leadership positions he has found himself in, as well as with the addition to the introduction of Leadership Skills Certification Academy.
With graduation right around the corner for Branch, he is looking forward to applying what he has learned about leadership in a practical setting as a Chapter Coach for Lambda Chi Alpha Office of Administration.
In this role, Branch will help other members of Lambda Chi Alpha pave the way and develop themselves as the next leaders of the Fraternity and beyond, just as he had the opportunity to learn through his experience.
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Leading through Service
Warrior for Peace Foundation Rallies Around Veterans
by Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
On a beautiful, California day in November 2021, two professional fishing boats embarked through the waters around San Diego for the first annual Warrior for Peace Foundation Ocean Fishing Event. With nearly 100 veterans, family, and friends in attendance, the event went above and beyond to provide all veterans in attendance a day of peace and camaraderie.
At the heart of the Warrior for Peace Foundation are a band of Brothers from the Zeta-Pi chapter at San Diego State University. For over 35 years, Mike Hieshima, Stephen Guillot, Scott McLaughlin, Rich Vincent, Mark Jennings, Mike Smith, Kevin Rouse and Pete Lloyd have become more family than friends and have seen each other through the happy times and the most
difficult times imaginable. But when push came to shove, they were always there for each other.
Inspired by one of their Brothers, also a veteran, the men wanted to build an organization that could help other veterans who need support and assistance. The Brothers created what would become the Warrior for Peace Foundation (WFPF), a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. For these Brothers, philanthropy and giving back have been engrained in them from their undergraduate days in the Fraternity, but now it was time to truly make a difference.
“It really tied into the Brotherhood and tied into our desire to give back,” said Hieshima, President, WFPF.
Led by WFPF’s Board of Directors, chapter Brothers from all over came together to not only honor their veteran Brothers, but veterans across the country. The first step was raising the money for the event and deciding what the day would look like.
For one of their veteran Brothers, fishing had always served as an escape and a way to return to nature. That got Hieshima and his fellow foundation members thinking, why not take an activity as simple as fishing and transform it into a day-long celebration of our nation’s heroes?
After much time devoted to fundraising, the Brothers raised over $60,000 dollars for the event. Following a morning of inspirational speeches, two world-class fishing boats set out for a friendly competition.
“The day yielded tons of fish, smiles, laughter, peace, as well as amazing stories of service and loyalty… much like those moments we share in our Brotherhood,” said Guillot.
The WFPF members concluded the day with a final surprise for the veterans, a welcoming committee and live band to commemorate a day full of joy.
“It’s a proud moment for us, because we have been friends for 35 plus years,” said Guillot. “Our kids are grown, and we want to invest back into our veterans and, in this case, in our communities.”
Because of the huge success of the first event, the members of WFPF are looking to double in size next year to reach even more participants. They also hope to see the event eventually be replicated across the country by other members of Lambda Chi Alpha.
But the true prize of the day for all the Brothers is the sense of peace they witnessed for each veteran and the outpouring of gratitude.
“Since then, I’ve already created great memories with my buddies as we put our new fishing sticks to use,” said one participant. “I still haven’t caught anything worthwhile, but I think the journey is a great catch already.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I can’t wait to see you all again at the next event. You’ve inspired me to never give up on life!”
From a simple desire to offer support and assistance to our beloved veterans to a state-ofthe-art event, the WFPF is committed to create a community for those fighting for peace around the world and help veterans find inner peace every day, within their mind, body and soul.
IN YOUR CAREER
Building the Bridge for Future Leaders
by Nick Bratvold, Stewardship Officer
The allegory of the bridge builder is often used during the Big Brother Ceremony to describe the ideal Big Brother-Little Brother relationship. It reminds us that year after year, new Lambda Chi Alpha members enter into our bond, impacted by the many generations of mentorship and guidance that came before. However poetic, therein lies a more practical lesson: It is our duty to leave the world better than we found it so that those who follow might enjoy greater prosperity.
John “Jack” Mason—the founder of our Ritual— knew that metaphorical bridge building in our Fraternity was also a function of philanthropy. In fact, the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation was established through Mason’s planned gift—a donation that is given by way of one’s will or estate. Today, those who include the Educational Foundation in their estate plans are recognized in the Society of Living Legacies in honor of Mason’s ultimate contribution.
The story of Brothers Jason LeGrand and Neal Boyd is a story of bridge building—of Big and Little Brother who, through philanthropy, solidified a legacy. Last year, LeGrand made plans for the Neal E. Boyd Legacy Fund at the Educational Foundation
through a $100,000 planned gift commitment from a retirement account.
Twelve and a half million people watched Boyd’s final performance on America’s Got Talent on October 1, 2008 as he sang "Nessun Dorma"—the same song they heard four months prior during his audition. Thirty-two-year-old Boyd lived at the Sheraton Universal in Los Angeles since June that year, advancing each week before facing off against four fellow finalists. Among the millions watching was the live studio audience that included a dozen Lambda Chi Alphas and the president of Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO), who had flown to California to celebrate his journey.
Boyd was competitive and studied for each of his performances, but he also valued closeness with the other contestants who had become like family to him. When he was not performing or studying, Boyd would explore nearby CityWalk at Universal Studios, where he was increasingly recognized as he progressed through the competition.
In one more memorable encounter, Billy Bush and “Governator” Arnold Schwarzenegger, who were hosting a Paralympics awards ceremony, spotted Boyd and invited him to perform for the crowd—which he, of course, obliged.
Excerpt:
The Bridge Builder
by Will Allen Dromgoole
An old man going a lone highway, Came, at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide. Through which was flowing a sullen tide
The old man crossed in the twilight dim, The sullen stream had no fear for him; But he turned when safe on the other side And built a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near, “You are wasting your strength with building here; Your journey will end with the ending day, You never again will pass this way; You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide, Why build this bridge at evening tide?”
The builder lifted his old gray head; “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There followed after me to-day
A youth whose feet must pass this way. This chasm that has been as naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”
Photo of Neal Boyd
When Jerry Springer announced that the winner of America’s Got Talent was an insurance salesman from Sikeston, Missouri, the crowd erupted and Lambda Chi Alphas in Missouri and around the country cheered.
Out of 200,000 who had auditioned, Boyd was the last one standing.
Amongst the thousands in Hollywood who congratulated Boyd that night, one had never left his side: Lambda Chi Alpha Big Brother Jason LeGrand. LeGrand, who at the time worked as a major gifts officer for the University of MarylandCollege Park, practically lived at the Sheraton with Boyd, flying to Los Angeles nearly every week to be with him behind the scenes and in the audience during his performances.
Fourteen years earlier in 1994, LeGrand and Boyd hardly knew one another when they greeted each other as Big and Little Brother. Though LeGrand lived off-campus and Boyd in the chapter house, they took their relationship seriously.
“Having Jason as my Big Brother basically made us family in my eyes,” Boyd said in a 2010 interview.
Playing checkers late into the evening, they grew close, bonding over, of all things, the fact that they were equally obsessed with the 1980’s television show Dallas. Thinking back on these long nights early in their friendship, LeGrand shared, “I knew Neal was funny…but I did not know about his superpower.”
LeGrand learned of this superpower firsthand at SEMO’s Greek Sing competition, where Boyd sang from Weber’s, The Jungle Book. He would go on to hear Boyd perform many more times in the future,
including one notable fall day in 1996 when Maya Angelou could not attend the inauguration of SEMO’s 16th president. Boyd, barely into his third year at SEMO, sang in her stead.
“Boyd’s personality was unassuming and disarming” recalls LeGrand. He would say “I love you, Brother” to other men in his chapter, if only to remind them of their Brotherhood.
Boyd and LeGrand quickly became each other’s biggest supporter. As his high school senior class president and commencement speaker, Boyd was politically motivated and eager to be involved in student government. LeGrand, sharing this interest, took the lead for Boyd’s election campaign, writing the first draft with Boyd on the back of an Applebee’s napkin. Campus life was a binding force for LeGrand and Boyd, who both became involved as Presidential Ambassadors, on the Interfraternity Council, and within different areas of student government.
LeGrand served as a legislative intern in the Missouri House of Representatives in 1996, and Boyd did the same in 1998. LeGrand was on the Homecoming Court as a Man of the Year candidate in 1996, then Boyd in 1998. Both later received awards from SEMO since graduating, Boyd earning the Distinguished Service Award in 2008, and LeGrand the Young Almuni Merit Award in 2010.
Boyd earned degrees from SEMO (Political Science, Speech Communications) and the University of Missouri at Columbia (Music) and later studied at the New England Conservatory of Music.
He enjoyed a career that involved teaching music, singing, speaking and working as a salesman and personality for the insurance company Aflac. After
“Talking about Neal is a happy thing for me. We have limited time here, and he left a tremendous legacy.”
his “America’s Got Talent” win, he headlined shows in Las Vegas, at both the MGM Grand and the Las Vegas Hilton, toured the country, signed two record deals and released two albums. He also performed across the world in concert halls, for professional sports teams in the NBA, NFL and MLB and on U.S. military bases.
Boyd and LeGrand remained close during the years that followed college, finding opportunities to call and visit one another as they traveled the country.
Experiencing the ups and downs of their late twenties, they continued to lean on each other for support and sought the other’s guidance as they had learned to do years prior.
In 2015, Boyd established the Neal E. Boyd Endowed Scholarship in Performing Art and began to work on his third studio album.
Boyd would not see that album completed. He died in 2018, four months before his forty-third birthday. He was laid to rest in the town he was born which, since 2008, has marked October as “Neal E. Boyd Month.”
Before he passed away, LeGrand promised Boyd he would tell his story and keep his memory alive.
Despite the magnitude of his lifetime achievement, Boyd began much further behind than those around him. Though he performed before four U.S. Presidents and seven state Governors at venues like the Rockefeller Center, Carnegie Hall, and the
Library of Congress, Boyd’s favorite place to sing was a smoky bar in Jefferson City, Missouri called The Library Lounge, a callback to his humble roots.
Above all, Boyd wished to make life easier for those who didn’t begin with the resources they needed and hoped to help those who had far more to give the world like himself.
Two years after his Little Brother’s passing, LeGrand made his planned gift to the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation in memory of Boyd.
“Talking about Neal is a happy thing for me,” says LeGrand. “We have limited time here, and he left a tremendous legacy.”
Thanks to LeGrand, a special collection of Boyd’s music and papers lives on at the SEMO library for future generations to enjoy and remember Boyd’s tremendous heart and loving nature. Although Boyd is no longer here to witness his impact, through his Big Brother’s stewardship, his legacy can both inspire and support future generations.
Planned giving extends the life of our values and helps us leave the world better than we found it.
More than immortalize his Little Brother’s story, Jason’s planned gift will create opportunities for future generations who—like Neal—aspire to live out a dream once thought impossible. After all, for those who remember his name from television, Boyd embodies the journey of a lifetime as an insurance salesman turned opera singer.
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by Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
Leadership in a Time of Change
Lambda Chi Alpha is reshaping what it means to be a leader both inside and outside of the collegiate space. But let’s be honest, the statistics are not entirely in our favor.
In 2021, the Harvard Gazette reported that 61 percent of men aged 18 to 25 reported high levels of loneliness “frequently” or “almost all the time or all the time.” Another report from Journal of the American Medical Association noted that young men are nearly four times as likely to die by suicide than young women, a tragedy we have seen far too often throughout our organization, the Greek Life community and the larger student population as a whole.
With so many odds stacked against Lambda Chi Alpha, how do we possibly begin to break through the noise, change the statistics and start to create a real difference?
It has been shown that higher education alone is not enough for our students to succeed in the professional world.
“Whether you’re aware of it or not, there’s a huge gap right now between employer’s expectations of the work readiness of college graduates and how well prepared they are,” said Brandon Busteed, Global Head of Learned Work Innovation at Kaplan.
In fact, only 13% of employers agree that college graduates are well prepared for success in the workplace, per Gallup. On top of that, just a meager 11% of C-level executives believe that students are ready for work following graduation.
Armed with all the facts and figures, the team at Lambda Chi Alpha realized that while the outlook may seem bleak for college-aged men, this has
proven to be a real opportunity to do something extraordinary, something that had never been done before.
During the annual High Alpha Summit & Neville Advisor’s College, held in Austin, Texas in January 2022, the new Leadership Skills Certification Academy (LSCA) was launched. Designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate education and the workplace, LSCA is the first program of its kind. The program combines professional development resources, functional training, realworld tools, and relevant aspects of the Fraternity leadership experience into marketable skills that appeal to prospective employers through validation by a third-party company.
By offering four unique learning journeys for the High Alpha, High Delta, High Theta and High Tau, LSCA not only allows officers to gain critical skills to prepare them for life following graduation, but also helps them learn and understand the necessary skills to succeed in their office. Following completion of each track, the officer receives a certification (represented by a digital badge) that they can apply to social media or their resume. This will then allow the officer to articulate the skills they have acquired in a professional setting.
Through this groundbreaking program, employers and Alumni Brothers alike are starting to take notice of the countless possibilities for members.
“By querying the certification that’s being offered, you can see specific things that had to be demonstrated in order to earn the certification,” said Rob Shook (Wabash, ’83), IBM Innovation Studio lead in Austin, Tex. and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Photo of High Alpha
2022, Austin, Texas
“That’s a whole different level of detail and qualification then just ‘Oh, I served as the treasurer or my fraternity.’; it shows specific skills that were learned as part of that role, and I think that adds tremendous value to not only the skills and the opportunity that the student is getting but makes it easier for the employer… to understand what was involved in getting it.”
In essence, LSCA is translating the experiences Brothers have while in their office to something that will last them far beyond their undergraduate career.
“We believe that fraternities have a unique advantage in this, because in leadership roles, organizing all the different things that you are responsible for, you’re practicing some of these key work skills as part of your experience in fraternity,” said Busteed.
Now, the High Tau will learn how to create that budget for the small business he is helping to run (his chapter). The High Alpha can translate his experience leading his chapter into tangible skills to lead a team outside of the chapter experience. The High Theta and High Delta can take their experience with building relationships and recruitment and apply those skills to not only their office, but an internship or a career just around the corner from graduation.
“I think the skills that people develop while they’re in college transfer directly to the workplace,” said Shook. “Some people will pick things up in class, some people will pick things up outside of class, some people will pick up things through summer internships or externships, things like that.
“But the opportunity that’s presented here by Lambda Chi Alpha is to further increase the value that involvement in the Greek system gives our young men.”
Above all, though, members of Lambda Chi Alpha are learning the value of investing in oneself and the importance of always seeking how to become better than the day before.
“Demonstration of investment into your professional self speaks louder than any other investment you can make,” said Henry Schuck (UNLV, ’05), CEO and founder of ZoomInfo. “When you show up amongst 100 other applicants or a dozen other applicants, there are going to be very few of them in that mix who made a decision to invest their time, their resources to become a better version of themselves professionally.”
By making that commitment to take one extra step, the gap widens even more between Lambda Chi Alpha members and the competition.
“We want to benefit each other, benefit the world in what we do, and the big thing there that we have been focusing on for these past couple of years is career development and personal growth,” said Jack Branch (University of Montevallo, ’22), High Alpha and LSCA tester.
“We want to give each other and give our Brothers the biggest opportunity to be successful, not only in undergraduate life, but transitioning into professional life.”
Now, more than ever, is the time for bold leadership in this unpredictable world and remembering how the bond of this Brotherhood is capable of remarkable things.
“It’s not just for this year, it’s not just for the role you find yourself in right now in the house,” said Shook. “These are skills that will last you the rest of your life, just like the Brotherhood you form is not just for your college years, it’s for life.”
Though Lambda Chi Alpha has accomplished much in the past few years to move the needle forward for our members, there will always be work ahead to continue investing in our members and the future leaders of tomorrow. Because this Brotherhood is worth the effort. Because our members are worth the effort. In these ever-changing times, the world needs bold leaders more than ever. How will you answer that call?
“These are skills that will last you the rest of your life, just like the Brotherhood you form is not just for your college years, it’s for life.”
To learn more about Leadership Skills Certification Academy and other revolutionary Lambda Chi Alpha programs, scan the code.
Photo of Troy Medley, CEO (left) and Tad Binkley, High Alpha, Union University
Photo of University of Louisville Brothers
Oaths in Action: Ethical Leadership
by Jessie Ashton, Director of Chapter Support and Wellness
As the 50th anniversary of George Spasyk removing pledges from Lambda Chi Alpha’s lexicon approaches, it’s valuable to reflect on the work we’re doing now to build upon the legacy he created. Last summer, the Timothy J. Piazza Center for Fraternity and Sorority Research and Reform (TJPC) requested financial support from Lambda Chi Alpha for their research and reform efforts. The Office of Administration team and Grand High Zeta discussed the opportunity and the value it could offer our members and the General Fraternity.
When reflecting on our mission to “Inspire and equip men to lead an ethical life of growth, service and leadership”, we committed to giving the TJPC $100,000 over the next five years. We knew research that derived from this gift had the chance to increase the opportunity for us to 1.) identify ways we can improve and be better and 2.) illustrate the value the fraternity experience offers collegiate men. We wanted Lambda Chi Alpha to be set apart from our fraternity counterparts and saw this gift as an opportunity to do so.
The Piazza Center aims to conduct research that illustrates the co-curricular offerings of the fraternity experience. This collaboration will allow us to measure the impact the Leadership Skills Certification Academy and Ideal Man Program have on Lambda Chi Alpha members and their futures. The Piazza Center is currently embarking on research that evaluates the efficacy of programs like ours, and this gift will allow us to be at the forefront of that research and evaluation.
This research is designed to quantify the value of the fraternity/sorority experience over the life of a member. This information will help Lambda Chi Alpha and other fraternal organizations better tailor programming and services to members.
TJPC also aims to conduct research that contributes to the elimination of hazing, inspired by the tragic hazing death of Timothy Piazza at Pennsylvania State University. As an organization that denounces hazing at every level, we believe that identifying ways of addressing this behavior is crucial to the success and future of this Brotherhood. Some research studies currently conducted can be found at bit.ly/candcpsuresearch
This partnership is symbolic of our commitment to seeking the Crescent, looking for ways to improve and evolve while serving as leaders in the fraternal world. If we don’t identify ways to differentiate Lambda Chi Alpha, our public perception will always be at the mercy of other fraternities and sororities with greater behavioral issues. A gift to the TJPC is an opportunity to challenge the idea that we are just another fraternity; instead, we are a fraternity willing to challenge the status quo and contribute to higher education in ways that may require organizations to change their current practices.
This money, however, means nothing if we are not challenging hazing behaviors at a local level.
As leaders in the fraternity world, it is crucial we are pushing back on campus norms and behaviors that threaten our legacy of leadership in anti-hazing practices. A practice that has become increasingly prevalent on campuses is Big/Little Brother “bottle night.” This event typically encourages a Big Brother to gift his Little Brother a bottle of liquor to finish as a celebration of this relationship. While the spirit of this celebration may be altruistic, the outcomes are incredibly harmful.
We recognize that traditions like this may be a part of the culture of your campus and/or fraternity community. For over 50 years, Lambda Chi Alpha has pushed back on traditional fraternity behaviors to stand apart. We are going to ask you to do the same on your campus. It is up to you to make your chapter a leader in your community by refusing to participate in behaviors such as these.
At the end of the day, Lambda Chi Alpha is a Brotherhood, and taking care of one another should be at the forefront of what we do. Hazing has no place in this Brotherhood and our commitment to the TJPC is a reiteration of that. We are proud
We are here to work with you as you shift the culture in your chapter and want to help you where we can. We know hazing behaviors and traditions can be confusing to identify and/or understand. Ask! We are happy to walk through how you can adjust common practices to ensure they contribute to the health and wellness of your members, rather than detracting from it.
to have two student representatives on the TJPC Student Advisory Committee, Shrey Patel (Indiana University) and Matthew Owens (Western Michigan University).
The values of Lambda Chi Alpha have stood the test of time because of our courage to challenge the status quo, duty to do what’s honorable, and commitment to respecting each and every one of our members.
As leaders in the fraternal world, we hope this example of service and stewardship prevents any further senseless deaths, while promoting the value of the fraternal experience.
We thank everyone, Brothers and friends alike, who made this event such a success. It is just another milestone in the larger Lambda Chi Alpha story that we hope will continue for many years to come.
Life as a Servant Leader
by Taylor Weitzer, Editor, Senior Content Coordinator
Ambitious, hardworking and passionate, Lambda Chi Alpha alumnus Marc Nichols (Wabash College, '92) maintains an impressive legal resume. He’s served as the U.S. and Canadian general counsel at the Sweden-based aerospace and defense company, Saab, and a senior attorney for Rolls-Royce.
As of January 2022, Nichols added one more prestigious title to his resume: chief counsel of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Drawing upon the people skills he learned with Lambda Chi Alpha, Nichols’ new job requires him to lead a critical government department and 300 employees.
Nichols joined Lambda Chi Alpha at Wabash College, a private men’s liberal arts college in Indiana. At his chapter, Nichols served as High Alpha for a year. More recently, Nichols served on Lambda Chi Alpha's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committee, working to ensure all Brothers are accepted into the bonds of Brotherhood. Nichols has also served on the Successful Brother Committee and continues to give back to his Lambda Chi Alpha community by mentoring young Lambda Chi Alpha Brothers.
“High Alpha was a great experience,” Nichols said.
“I met people of various backgrounds, levels of sophistication and interests.
“Lambda Chi Alpha has helped me hone my ability to meet people where they are, get to know them and accept them for themselves ‘in the bonds of Christian brotherhood,’ as one of our tenets says. I also learned how to live a life as a servant leader in the grandest and truest tradition of that phrase.”
Throughout his career, Nichols maintains respect, care and concern for community, customers, and clients. Nichols worked in the climate change, sustainability, supply chain and finance industries before transitioning to aerospace, where his main concern has always been the safety of passengers.
As a result of his hard work, President Biden appointed him to the prestigious position of chief counsel of the FAA. Nichols leads the department charged with providing legal counseling to the agency, which ensures the safety of the flying public in the United States and for U.S. carriers in other parts of the world. With about 45,000 employees, the FAA is the largest transportation agency in the U.S. government and regulates aircraft safety operations, airport safety, the design of new airports, commercial space travel and chemical hazards at airports. The agency also works with international agencies to share best practices related to flying around the globe and more.
In his impressive new appointment, Nichols manages to stay grounded and lead his department using the skills he learned from Lambda Chi Alpha. The Fraternity taught him the importance of leadership and connecting with people across different backgrounds.
“In many ways, Lambda Chi Alpha shaped who I am today."
BROTHERS FIRST
Thank you Brother Jeff Stuerman for everything.
Words cannot fully express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Grand High Zeta, General Assembly, Office of Administration, Educational Foundation, our Chapter Advisors and especially all of our Collegiate and Alumni Brothers who work tirelessly and faithfully to live our oaths.
We are Brothers first and foremost. Thank you, Brothers!
"Jeff is one of the most focused guys I know. You could wake him up from a deep sleep at 3:00 am and his first words would be 'Grow, Serve, Lead.' He never lost focus on the true mission of our Fraternity to serve our members and to position them for success in life."
— LYNN CHIPPERFIELD
OUR GRAND HIGH ALPHA FROM 2018–2022
Leadership Skills Certification Academy Badge Recognition
As part of the Leadership Skills Certification Academy, members will be recognized for completing their respective learning journeys with a digital badge. These badges will signify to potential employers the valuable skills and lessons learned through each journey and allow our members to have something tangible to add to their social media profiles as a way to stand out from the competition.
Ian Carroll
Joey Stephens
Arthur Keegan
Alex Weddle
300,000 members $9,024,145 dollars raised 16,643 philanthropic hours served
170 active chapters operating 15 expansions launched 2 revolutionary programs unveiled
Luke Verst
John Branch
Keith Stubblebine
Michael Drabelle
John DeRuntz
Connor Ramsey
Jonah Mudse
James Fibbe
Harrison Evans
Daniel Byers
John Mathews
Mason Montgomery
Nathan Gray
Keith Stubblebine
Steven Sekar
Zachary Shafer
Peter Todd
VOLUNTEER
Provide essential services to the community in Disaster Services, Blood Services, and many other areas! www.redcross.org/volunteer
GIVE BLOOD
Ensure people receive the critical care they need. Make an appointment to give blood at www redcrossblood org
TAKE A CLASS
Learn lifesaving skills to help when it matters most. www.redcross.org/takeaclass DONATE A
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SHARE YOUR STORY
Crest & Creed
by Jeffrey A. Stuerman, Grand High Alpha (GHA), Chairman of the Board
Lambda Chi Alpha aspires to become the premier service-learning and leadership development organization in North America. While becoming such, we aim to annually serve more college-aged men than any other brotherhood. Specifically during each academic year, we seek to support 20,000 Brothers on their personal growth journeys as each works to become his genuine and authentic self.
This noble task won't be easy. It will take true leadership and a keen focus on the needs of the young men coming to our campuses. Lambda Chi Alpha must become the experts in the development of men, especially men born after 2000 (Generation Z). Further, Lambda Chi Alpha must expand to both traditional and non-traditional places where these men will choose to pursue their academic careers. Although we most hold fast to our traditions, principals and ideals, our vision for the future lies not in the rearview mirror. Our future lies in transforming the fraternal experience to ensure that Lambda Chi Alpha remains compelling, relevant and, naturally, a fun place to belong. Accountable and actionable leadership remains paramount.
So, how does Lambda Chi Alpha lead the way in serving communities? We do so by helping men of all ages become the best possible versions of themselves. Our young knight wears a celestial crown; this badge of royalty surrounds our Brotherhood's beloved crest -- the cross and crescent. Mere aspiration is insufficient to attain our ideals; personal and collective sacrifice aligned with those ideals is essential. Unlike Emperor Napoleon, we cannot crown ourselves victorious nor can we
fashion a wreath of olive leaves around our own neck. If Lambda Chi Alpha is to retain the celestial crown, we must continuously earn the reputation for being a Brotherhood, a royal knighthood of genuine and authentic servant leaders. We must remain Brothers first.
While bookstore shelves are lined with treatises on leadership and podcasts are replete on the topic, our brothers don't have to search very far for inspiration or resources as these three examples illustrate.
1) Our core values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service & Stewardship, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage are represented by the acronym LDRSHIP.
2) Lambda Chi Alpha's new Leadership Skills Certification Academy provides members with the expertise they need to both guide their chapters and earn digital badges, a series of modern day "crowns", if you will, to prepare for entry into the workplace. The initial four learning journeys offering digital badges are: Leading Teams, Essentials in Finance, Recruiting and Sales, and Social Responsibility.
3) At this year's 59th General Assembly, the Ideal Man Program will be launched. This exciting new program will provide each of our Brothers with innovative self-discovery and personal development tools, all easily accessed from a smartphone. Neither the Leadership Skills Certification Academy nor Ideal Man Program would be possible without ambitious aspiration, actionable research, tenacious hard work, strategic partnerships and very generous donors to the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation.
The past several years have been challenging for each of us and our families, to say the least. They have been challenging at the international level, the local Zeta level, and at the individual Brother level. Whether you lead an organization, a team of individuals or just lead yourself, remaining focused on aspirational objectives that align with your personal purpose or collective mission is essential. Resilience and persistence are critical. However, the key to success often rests with remaining adaptable.
What a global pandemic, the supply-chain, and the current economic climate demonstrate is that while the desired destination may remain the same, the route or modalities to get there may change significantly – and may change often.
As an example, many of us have experienced cancelled flights, lost luggage, car trouble, or worse – but we don't change our destination. We check our compass, review the alternatives, adjust our path, and we press on with faith, hope and conviction. Sometimes, when circumstances change, it may seem to take more strength and passion than we possess. Fortunately, like our young knight, we belong to a team of Brothers we can depend upon. Our Brothers encourage us to adapt appropriately and lead decisively.
As a service learning and leadership development Brotherhood, a healthy chapter experience remains critically essential. Our Chapter Brothers invited us into membership, taught us Lambda Chi Alpha's values and the secret teaching of our ritual, held us accountable as necessary (but probably not as often as we should have been) and many remain life-long friends. It was in the chapter where we learned the importance of doing research to evaluate the alternatives, to base decisions on facts and not emotion, and to focus on results and desired outcomes. It's there that we learned that each of us has different leadership skills and can
contribute in different or unique ways. Some may be gifted in leading people, while others prefer to lead projects or critical processes. Other Brothers provide visionary thought leadership. Leadership at the individual, group or organization level can be taught. The point, however, is that it was in the chapter room where we each learned that our crescents are capable of growth, that each of us has value, and that each of belongs here.
As Lambda Chi Alpha transforms into the premier service-learning and leadership development Brotherhood in North America, each of us can play an important role. Our collective involvement is vital to successfully inspiring and equipping men to lead ethical lives of growth, service and leadership. We can serve as a chapter advisor or as a member of an Advisory Committee, Control Board, or Housing Corporation to model our values and demonstrate servant leadership. We can mentor, coach, create internships or offer entry-level career opportunities. Given the rising costs of higher education, we can help underwrite the Lambda Chi Alpha experience by financially contributing to the Educational Foundation and to our local chapters.
There is not one way to pay it forward or to make a difference. Our unique combination of time, talents and treasure allows us to live our oaths genuinely and authentically. In doing so, we affirm the eternal light that burns in each of us while collectively nudging each of us to become the best possible versions of ourselves.
The world needs more global citizens and leaders who share our values. This is Lambda Chi Alpha's opportunity to lead the way. Courageously, we Grow, Serve and Lead!
In the Story of His Success this is Chapter One
William Clark
Robert Masoner
Thomas Lukeman
Albert Pettet
James Hopkins
Ralph Pope
Thomas Glenn
South Lynn
Van Lafferty
Roger Bowker
Jack Holroyd
Peter Watts
Allan Westerbeck
Gerald Hogg
Wayne Caldwell
1911 University of Memphis
1928 Franklin & Marshall College
1929 Bradley University
1929 Bradley University
1948 University of Richmond
1948 University of Memphis
1948 University of Georgia
1949 University of Maryland-College Park
1949 University of Oklahoma
1949 University of Maine-Orono
1949 Washington State University
1950 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1950 University of Denver
1950 University of Missouri
1950 Southern Methodist University
Merrill
James
Arnold
John Fidger
Carl Schwab
Thomas Blunk
Heyward
John
John
of Tennessee-Chattanooga
University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
Louisiana State University
University of Iowa
Arkansas State University
Jess Dickenson
Lowman McCarley
Samuel Townsend
J. Gauthey
Richard Garman
Ralph Vinson
Carl Smith
Robert Haraway
Roy Irving
Richard McLaren
William Apperson
Robert Bailie
Louis Smith
Herb Reinhard
John Moody
James Maben
James Thornton
Lowell Jacobson
Robert Hieter
Edward Harris
William Young
John Armel
Edward Roche
Arthur Weiss
1951 New Mexico State University
1951 University of California-Los Angeles
1951 Ball State University
1951 Cornell University
1951 San Jose State University
1952 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1952 University of Kentucky
1953 University of Oklahoma
1953 Bucknell University
1953 Oregon State University
1953 Oklahoma State University
1954 Rutgers State University of New Jersey
1955 University of Georgia
1955 Florida State University
1955 University of New Hampshire
1955 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
1956 Oregon State University
1956 University of South Dakota
1957 Muhlenberg College
1957 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1957 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
1957 Florida State University
1957 Butler University
1958 University of Alabama
Barry Niswanger 1958 University of Arkansas-Fayetteville
Stuart Santee
David Groll
1959 Oklahoma City University
1959 Clark University
William Bates 1959 University of Georgia
Paul Wellborn
Andrew Hager 1959 Missouri University of Science and Technology
1959 Georgia Institute of Technology
Bruce Bulcher 1960 University of Idaho
Roger Bergia 1960 Eureka College
Charles Harrell 1960 Arkansas State University
Leonard Phillipps 1962 Miami University
Millard Fairlamb 1962 University of Denver
Ernest Medina
Joe Hicks 1962 Texas A&M University-Commerce
University of Kentucky
Michael Hlastala 1963 University of Washington
Frank Bradford 1964 University of South Carolina
Louis Zickler 1964 Indiana University Bloomington
Gary Swink 1964 University of Kansas